Animated illuminated sign



July 20, 1937 J. J. SHIVELY ANIMATED ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Aug. '7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l NIHIHII' 25' l INVENTOR- daHN d. H/vfl. Y BY ATTORNEY July 20, 1937 J. J; SHIVELY ANIMATED ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Aug. 7, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR c/oH/v d. SH/YELY ATTORNEY Patented July 20, 1937 PATENT GFFICIE'.k

2,087,658 ANIMATED ILLUMINATED SIGNl John J; Shively, New York, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Service Devices, lincorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 7, 1935, Serial No. 35,035

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in animated illuminated signs and more particularly to signs of the type disclosed in the co-pending application Serial Number 22,333, filed May 20, 1935,

entitled Illuminated signs wherein is shown a sign having a grid of tubing filled with neon or the like, so disposed in the front of the sign as to give the effect of a solid sheet of neon glow when illuminated. By putting a transparency in front of the grid, a sign is obtained having all the advantages of the usual neon tubing signs with the further advantage that the lettering or design can be changed at will by merely changing the transparency.

The present invention has for its object a simple and cheap means of giving apparent motion to the indicia displayed by the sign. Assuming for example, the sign displays a fish. By the means herein described the fish will apparently 2O move, Many such movable displays will immediately suggest themselves to those familiar with the use of signs.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front View of a sign embodying 25 the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view ofthe sign Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3, 3, Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4, 4,

30 mgl-1re l;

Figure 5 is a view of a part of the frame 44 for the panel 40';

Figure 6 is a view partly in section on the line 6, 6, Figure 5; y

Figure '7 is a View of the top edge of panel 40;

and

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8, 8,

Figure 2.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view showing 40 the ribbing of the panels.

The invention in the form here shown by way of illustration takes the form of an attachment that may be secured to a sign as shown in the co-pending application aforesaid.

45 The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and as shown by the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the ap- 50 pended claims.

The signproper, without the attachments constituting this invention, consists of the front casing or frame IIJ and rear casing I I. Positioned within the frame is a transparent panel I2 of 55 glass or the like behind which is located a grid I3 of tubing, which may be lled with neon gas. The terminals of this tube are connected to the secondary Winding of a transformer (not shown) enclosed in the rearwardly extending portion I4 of the rear casing Ii. The primary winding of the transformer is connected to the usual connecting cord I5 usually/,provided on its outer end with a connecting plug, which, when plugged into a suitable source of current, causes the tube I3 to glow.

A reflector I5 is positioned back of the grid I3 toy reflect the light forward through the panel I2, which may be a stencil, transparency or the like, to form the sign.

However, to make the sign readily changeable without having to change or work upon the panel I2, a space I'I is provided in which a transpar ency of celluloid or the like, forming the sign, may be placed, this space being closed in by means of an outer panel I8 of glass or the like. 'I'he upper edge of I8 fits into a slot in the top of frame I 0 and is' pressed downward by leaf springs, one of which is shown` at I9. The lower edge of frame Ii) has a shallow groove there'- in in which the bottom edge of panel I8 rests. A linger slot 2| permits access to the bottom edge of I 8 so that it can be raised upwardly and lifted out to` change the transparencies placed in the space I'I.

The outer surface of the panel I 8 has thereon a plurality of horizontal lines or ribs 22, which serve to diffuse the light from the grid I3 and lessen the streaked effect caused by the horizontal legs of theY grid and the presence of the reflector I6.

`The rear casing II is secured to theframe l0 by iscrews 23 and forms therewith an insulating casing surrounding and enclosing all parts and forming a complete portable sign.

Obviously any'matter displayed by a sign as just described will be stationary. No part of the lettering or design on any transparency displayed thereby will appear to move and the purpose of the attachment now to be described is to give apparent motion to all or part o-f any lettering or design displayed by the sign. It has been fo-und that if the whole design can be given a wave motion, that it will attract favorable attention, so the invention Will be described as applied to giving an `apparent wave motion to the entire face of the sign.

A bracket 24, adapted to be secured to the rear of the sign by screws 23 supports an electric motor 25 which may be connected by wire-s (not shown) to the cord I5. To the shaft 26 of this motor is connected a worm 2l meshed with the The shaft 34 is shaped on` its outer end to form the crank 36 which engages a hole 3l in the lower end of an arm 38, the up-per end of which is secured to a U-clip 39 securedto the bottom edge of 1.

A similar U-clip 4I is secured to the top edge of the panel 40 and has l a transparent panel 40.

a pin 42 projecting from the front thereof which pin is free to move vertically in a slot 43 in the frame 44 which surrounds the edges of the panel 4D. l Y Frame 44 has outwardly extending clips, 45, 46 (as many as necessary) which snap under the lips 4l, 48 on the frame ID thus holding the front assembly comprising panel 4E) in place.

'I'he frame 44 is made thin so as to bring the inner surface 49 of panel 40 close to the outer ribbed surface 22 of panel I8. Surface 49 is also ribbed or provided with a plurality of horizontal lines. Both panels I8 and 40 may be made of ordinary clear, ribbed glass, the ribs being spaced somewhat closer together than those usually employed in such glass' commonly used in oice partitions and the like. Y

Itwill be understood that the ribs 22 and I4 on the panels I3 and 40 run the full length of these panels, across section of the panels being as shown in Figure 9, the ribs running horizontally the full length thereof.

The motor 25 being in operation, crank 36 will revolve, and via arm 38 will impart an oscillating motion to panel 4U, which is free to oscillate in frame 44. This causes the ribs on the opposed surfaces/of panels I8 and 40 to sointerrupt vthe lightas to produce the effect of wave motion overthe entire front of the sign. f

A variety of effects canbe obtained by having one set of ribs crosswise to the other, or one set vertical and the other horizontal.

It will now be evident that the invention contemplates the use of a fixed and movable panel and means for projecting light therethrough and means,`such as the ribs as described, for giving motion to the beam of light emerging from the outer panel 4B.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specic details Vof preferred embodiments thereof, it must lie-understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminated sign comprising a casing, a light source supported therein comprising a grid of gaseous tubing, a panel having a ribbed outer surface forming a front wall of said casing and overlying said grid, a movable panel having a ribbed inner surface overlying said front and mounted to move in said casing and means for oscillating said last panel.

2. The sign as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for moving the movable panel includes a motor secured to the rear of the casing and driving meansvvextending from said motor outside the casing and to said movable panel and adapted to4 oscillate the same, whereby the illumination through said panels may be given an appearance of wave motion.

3. An attachment for a sign having a casing with a transparent panel having an externally ribbed facer and a light source behind said panel, comprising a frame' adapted to be mounted on said casing, apanel moimted in said frame and a-dapted to be oscillated therein, said panel having ribs on the surface thereof adapted to opp-ose saidribbedvface, a motor, gearing and support therefor adapted to berexternally secured to said casing, and means connecting said panel and gearing whereby said panel may be oscillated by said motor. Y. v

4. In an attachmentfor vsigns having a casing enclosing a light source including a gaseous tube and a. transparentfrontpanel cooperating with said tube to form a sign, a frame adapted to be secured to said sign, a` glass panel carried in said frame and free to oscillate'therein and adapted to overlie the front panel of said sign when said attachment is in place thereon, a clipI secured to said panel, a crank engaging said clip, and a motor supported on said sign for driving said crank. Y, l

5. A device as claimed inrclaim 4 wherein the glass panel has a second clip secured thereto` and said second clip has a pin projecting therefrom and engaging a vertical slot in the frame. 6. In a device of the character described, a glass panel, a framein which said panel may oscillate, a clip secured to said panel, a crank engaging said clip, anda motor for driving said crank, said frame extending along the upper and lower edges ofthe glass and having laterally extending portions adapted to secure the same in place for usewith a sign.A

JOHN J. SHIVELY. 

